


Homemade

by poddunkk



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Avatar modern!au, Bisexual Disaster Sokka (Avatar), Bisexual Suki (Avatar), Bisexual Zuko (Avatar), F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gaang (Avatar), Gaang (Avatar) as Family, M/M, Mai has all the braincells, Multi, Your favorite throuple, Zuko is a theatre nerd, also momo is a cat, basically just a big bisexual panic, brief mention of mental illness/hospitals, but mostly just cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:42:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27599762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poddunkk/pseuds/poddunkk
Summary: It's Zuko's birthday, and because of the pandemic he isn't able to get together with all his friends, or his Uncle. He says it's fine, but Suki and Sokka know better. So Suki decides that, despite her lack of cooking ability, she's going to make his favorite meal and orchestrate a mass zoom call with all their friends. Because Zuko has been working way too hard, and deserves the best birthday, and Suki will be damned if her and Sokka's questionable cooking will stop them from giving their boyfriend the best birthday possible. But then, things start going bad... and they get worse.Suki had never been a master chef - that was all Zuko - but spirits, she didn't think she was this bad!
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Suki/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	Homemade

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Quick note before you start reading; in this fic Zuko, Sokka, and Suki are in an already established polyamorous relationship, so if that makes you uncomfy, don't continue! Thanks, and enjoy!!

Suki was not a cook. 

She had no skills in the kitchen, unless it involved a microwave. Zuko, on the other hand, was practically a professional chef. At least, compared to what Suki was used to. Before Zuko, the only homemade meals Suki and Sokka ate were made by Katara, or when they visited Sokka's Gran Gran. They'd lived off of takeout, and ramen, and instant mac n' cheese for way too long. 

Their relationship had never been conventional, of course, but it worked. Suki could hardly remember life without Zuko. Zuko, who made them homemade meals and brought them gifts every time he had to go out of town. Zuko, who made sure to keep their favorite tea stocked up (for emergencies, he said). Zuko, who slept in between the two of them because the man was a walking furnace and kept them warm all night long. Zuko, who worked hard, and loved harder, and never asked for anything in return. 

It had been a rough year, on all of them, but Zuko especially. The pandemic had hit suddenly, locking them all inside. The whole city - hell, the whole world! - shutting down. Suki, though she hated to say it, had felt lucky. She had the two people she loved most with her, still able to see them everyday, able to know they were okay. But Zuko couldn't see Iroh, and couldn't visit his sister for months because the hospital wasn't allowing visitors. And Sokka couldn't see his Dad, or his Gran, or Katara. Sure, Suki missed her friends, but she still talked to them everyday. It wasn't the same as her boyfriends, missing their families. When things had finally started opening up again, though it took some convincing for Iroh to stay away from the cafe, Zuko had taken over responsibility of The Jasmine Dragon to keep his uncle safe. It meant a lot more work, and a lot more stress, but Zuko never complained once. Nor did he complain when he was able to visit Azula again, and her progress had all but disappeared, because of his extensive absence. Everyone told Zuko this wasn't his fault, even Azula's therapist, but it was clear he shouldered the blame for this like he did everything else. 

So when it came time for his birthday, Suki would be damned if any of this was going to get in the way of Zuko having the best possible night. She was going to make his favorite meal, and have all their friends on call when he opened his presents, and it was going to be the best birthday. Because he deserved it, he deserved the world, and Suki and Sokka were going to give him their all. 

She had two hours until Zuko would be home, and Sokka had already begun to decorate the apartment with makeshift decorations he'd made earlier that day. He was turning their living room into a fort, to watch movies in, and had hung red streamers all through the entryway. Things were going good so far. Suki had watched Zuko make this recipe before, and had eaten it plenty of times. How hard could it be, right? Everything was fine... until the rice boiled over and started smoking. 

"Shit!" Suki cursed, abandoning the pot she had been stirring to fan the smoke. But it was too late, the smoke alarm was going off, and Sokka was running to the kitchen.

"Suki? Oh, shit, please tell me our kitchen isn't on fire!" He said, after making sure she was okay. 

"It's fine, it's fine, just- Just turn that damn thing off!" She said sourly, as the smoke began to clear. 

Suki went to crack open their window as Sokka climbed up on the counter to reach the smoke alarm, turning it off. 

"Careful," Suki fretted, as he climbed back down. 

"Who, me?" He said cheekily, trying to make her smile. 

But Suki pouted, annoyed at herself. It was just rice. Who didn't know how to cook rice?

"Sukiii," Sokka drawled, massaging her shoulders and kissing the top of her head, "It's fine, babe, we still have over an hour. Everything's gonna work out and Zuko's gonna love it."

Suki sighed, leaning back against his chest. She had been stressing since the moment Zuko had headed out the door this morning, and this certainly wasn't helping. "I know, I know... I just want it to be perfect. It's his Mom's recipe. I can't mess it up."

"You'll get it!" He said encouragingly, but Suki didn't share the same enthusiasm. He spun her around and grabbed her hands, "How about this. I'll text Katara and ask her how to make rice, and you focus on the other stuff, okay?" 

Suki nodded, in defeat. It was probably best; Katara was almost as good a cook as Zuko was. She'd learned everything from Kanna, growing up. Suki wished Sokka had done the same.

Sokka helped her clean up the mess, nearly burning himself on the hot burner twice, while Suki tried to remember where she'd left off with the recipe. 

"Alright, Katara said you probably just didn't turn it down after it started to boil, and that's why that happened." Sokka informed her, and Suki turned to him with wide eyes. 

"You have to turn it down?"

Sokka laughs, kissing her forehead. "I think even I knew that." He teased. 

Suki shoved him away, rolling her eyes. "Don't make fun of me, Sokks." 

Sokka wrinkled his nose, "Don't call me Sokks." 

"It's what you get for making fun of me," Suki stuck out her tongue, turning back to the stove.

Thirty minutes later, things had taken a turn for the worst. Suki wasn't sure what had gone wrong, but the pot she had been stirring ingredients into had turned a color that definitely wasn't right, and smelled sour. And the rice, thought better than last time, was still undercooked. With frustrated tears welling in her eyes, Suki picked up her phone and dialed Ty Lee's number, desperately adding more seasoning to the food in a last ditch effort to try and save it. 

On the third ring, Ty picked up, cheerful as always, "Suki! Hi! What's up?"

Suki sniffled, aware of Sokka's worried gaze from where he was leaning on the doorframe, watching her. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ty Lee's voice softened, sounding concerned. 

"I-I'm trying to make dinner," Suki said, and Ty Lee hummed in understanding. Once upon a time, Suki and Ty Lee had been roommates, and her cooking hadn't been any good back then, either. "It's Zuko's favorite. And it's terrible."

"You mean his Mom's recipe?" Ty Lee asked, "Oh, Suki, it's okay, that's a really complicated recipe. Even Mai has trouble with it sometimes."

Suki perked up, wiping her nose on her sleeve, "Mai's made it before? She has the recipe?"

"Well, yeah, I mean we grew up eating it at Az- at Zuko's house." Ty answered, "And Mai made it for Zuko one time, after the, uh, accident."

"Is Mai there? Can I talk to her?"

"Suki, I don't think you can fix it if-"

"Put Mai on the phone," Suki demands, "Please?"

She can hear Ty Lee pull the phone away from her ear, calling out to Mai, but she can't quite make out what she tells her. 

Finally, Mai answers, in her usual monotone, "Hello?"

"Mai! Thank Agni," She says, an expression she'd picked up from Zuko, "I need your help."

Suki explained the best she could, aware of Sokka peaking over her shoulder with a questionable expression. She swatted him out of the kitchen, telling him to set the table, or something.

"I already did that," Sokka mumbled, on his way out.

Mai sighed, as Suk finished her spiel, "How long do you have until Zuko said he'd be home?"

Suki checks the clock on the wall, fretting, "Forty-five minutes."

"Suki," Mai says, as nicely as she can, "I don't think there's any way you can salvage... that, if it's as bad as you say it is. And there's no way you can start over and be ready by the time Zuko gets there."

Suki groaned, "Nooo, Mai, you were supposed to tell me it was a simple fix." 

"Have you tried putting it in rice?" Ty Lee says, and Suki realizes Mai had put her on speaker. 

"Don't even mention the rice." Suki groaned. 

"That bad, huh?" Ty says, glumly. "Well, hey, it's alright! You got cupcakes from that bakery he likes, didn't you? And he'll still have the presents, and we'll all hang out and talk on the zoom call, and you guys can watch a movie! And snuggle and eat popcorn, and it'll all be perfect!"

Suki appreciates what Ty Lee is trying to do, she really does, but she feels utterly defeated. "But it won't be perfect, because the whole apartment smells terrible and burnt, and I ruined dinner!"

"C'mon, Suki, you know Zuko isn't going to lose his mind over you messing up the food." Mai said, "He's probably just going to be touched you even tried to make his favorite meal." 

"They're right," Sokka says from behind her, startling Suki. "They're right, and you know it." 

"See?" Ty says, "Sokka agrees!"

Suki sighs, "Yeah, yeah. I'll see you guys later... Unless I ruin that, too."

"Oh, spirits, you sound like Zuko." Mai says. 

"Stay positive, Suks, we love you!" Ty Lee says, ignoring Mai's comment.

Once they hang up, Suki finally concedes defeat and turns the stove off. 

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Sokka said, "We both know cooking isn't our strong suit."

"I just wanted everything to be perfect," Suki says, somberly. 

Sokka sighs, tilting her chin up to kiss her. He looks her in the eyes, knowingly, and says, "Nothing is ever gonna be perfect, but that's okay. Right? Weren't you the one who said we would figure it all out as we go? Well, here we are, still figuring it out. And there's nothing wrong with that."

"You hang out with Aang and Katara too much." Suki kisses him again, resting her head on his chest. "I hate it when you go all therapist Sokka on me."

Sokka laughs, squeezing her tight. "You only hate it cause I'm right!"

It couldn't have been long before they hear keys rattling in the door, and both look at each other in alarm. Sokka checks the time on his phone, brows furrowed. Zuko shouldn't be home for another twenty minutes!

Sure enough, they look out into the hall, and there he stands. 

"You're early!" Suki cries out, at the same time Sokka yells, "Surprise!" 

Zuko smiles sheepishly, holding up a bag of takeout, "Mai called."

"Ooh, you got Thai!" Sokka says excitedly, rushing over to greet Zuko with a kiss. "Happy birthday, baby. Did you get dumplings?"

Zuko giggles, "Of course I did." He looked up at the streamers hanging from the ceiling, "So, what's all this?"

"It was supposed to be a birthday surprise," Suki says, arms crossed across her chest. 

Zuko pauses, brow raised. He didn't understand why Suki was upset, and was treading carefully, "Well... I'm definitely surprised!" 

Sokka pats Zuko's shoulder, "Suki's pouting because she tried to cook you dinner."

Zuko bit back his smile, seeing Suki was actually upset, "So that's why Mai told me to get food on the way home. Alright then, let's see the damage."

Sokka tried to hold back his laughter, but couldn't. 

Suki watches as Sokka leads Zuko to the kitchen, following behind them and waiting in the doorway.

"I really did try, Zu." She says, "It's not my fault you never taught us how to cook!"

Zuko pauses, setting the takeout down and eyeing his hand-written recipe book laying on the counter. "Did you... Is this supposed to be my Mom's recipe?"

Suki knew he wasn't being mean, wasn't making fun of her at all, but she felt tears well in her eyes again. She bit her lip, nodding.

Zuko's eyes softened, and he reached out and pulled her into a hug, "Oh, Suki." His voice was soft, and tender, just like the kiss he planted on top of her head.

"It's terrible," She mumbled into his chest, and Zuko laughs.

"Yeah... it really is."

Suki groans, hiding her face. "I'm sorry, I ruined your birthday dinner."

"What?" Zuko pulled back, making her look up at him, "You didn't ruin anything! Suki, I don't care about the food. I mean, don't get me wrong! I'm... really, really happy that you put that much thought into it, but I'm just glad to spend time with you guys, okay? It wouldn't matter if we were eating microwave mashed potatoes, I'd still be happy to be here."

Suki laughs, shaking her head, "You hate those."

Zuko joins her laughter, his forehead pressed against hers, "They're terrible. So, so bad."

Sokka joins them now, wrapping his arms around both of them with a grin, "I don't know what you're talking about, I love those!"

The three burst into giggles, sharing kisses between each other and Suki feels herself finally relax.

"Told you he wouldn't be mad," Sokka says smugly, kissing Suki sweetly. "Now come on, I'm starving! And our friends are waiting!"

Zuko looks over, in question, "Our friends? Here?"

Sokka leads them into the small dining area, which is covered in balloons and streamers, where his laptop is set up.

"Surprise!" Everyone yells, as the three walk into the frame. Zuko looks surprised, mouth agape as he takes a seat at the table. Sokka pulls Suki into his lap in the seat next to him.

"Zuko!" Aang says first, sitting next to Katara, who's holding their cat, Momo, in her lap, "Happy birthday, hotman!"

"Happy birthday, Zuko!" Ty Lee says, smiling big. She and Mai are sitting close together, holding hands out of frame.

"Yeah, happy birthday, Sparky!" Toph adds.

"You guys," Zuko says.

"Nu uh! Don't get all oogie," Toph interrupts. "Hey, Suki, is it true you can't cook rice?"

Suki's cheeks turn bright red, and she stares accusingly at Ty Lee and Mai, but they just shrug. 

Sokka smiles sheepishly, and Suki turns in his lap to face him. "Sokka!"

"My bad!" He says, wide eyed. 

Suki huffs, moving to sit in Zuko's lap instead, and everyone laughs as it's Zuko's turn to blush. 

Zuko wraps his arms around her waist, "What am I gonna do with you?" He asks, "You'd both starve without me."

"Not true!" Sokka says, "Katara is a great cook!"

Katara laughs, "Oh no, no way! You two have to fend for yourself, or pitch in for groceries! I used to cook for you like, three times a week!"

Aang laughs, "Yeah, you guys used to come over for dinner, like, every night!" His smile falls slightly, "I kinda miss that."

Katara grabs Aang's hand, "Aw, sweetie. Hopefully we can have everyone over soon."

Toph makes a gagging sound, "Would you guys stop being so gross and let Zuko open his presents already? I got him something totally awesome!"

"Hey, you guys didn't have to get me anything," Zuko says, and Suki gets up to get the presents. 

"Don't be ungrateful," Mai teases.

"Open ours first!" Ty Lee says, clapping her hands together.

Suki returns with the gifts, handing him the first one, and everyone chats as he opens them, laughing and joking around with each other like old times.

Zuko thanks everyone for the gifts as he goes, and the smile never leaves his face. From Mai and Ty Lee, he got a new book and some incense in his favorite scent. Toph, funnily enough, got him rocks.

"Haru, that works at the gem shop, picked them out for me. They felt pretty cool." She said. "He said they looked like you. And he wrote all the names and stuff down, too."

"Thanks, Toph," Zuko says, adding, "And tell Haru thank you, too." 

He sets the pouch of crystals aside, reaching for Aang and Katara's gift next. They got him a new tea mug, that they must have had customized to have cartoon versions of everyone on it, even Azula. Zuko almost tears up at this, thanking them and quickly moving on before he loses it. Suki lays her head on his shoulder as he finally reaches for the last one, the biggest of them all. 

"That one's from us," She whispers, and he sends her a small smile as he begins to unwrap it. 

Inside was a new pair of shoes, to replace the worn out ones he'd been wearing to work, a new hoodie, because Zuko swears he could never have enough (especially not with Suki and Sokka always stealing them), a framed picture of them from a trip they took to Ember Island the summer before, and finally a new, signed copy of his favorite play, 'Love Amongst the Dragons'. 

Zuko smiles, rubbing his fingertips over the picture. "Thank you, guys." He squeezes Suki closer to him and reaches for Sokka's hand. "I love you."

Ty Lee coos at them in the background, but they pay no mind.

"I hope that makes up for my terrible cooking, yeah?" Suki jokes, and they all laugh.

"I dunno," Zuko teases, "We'll see after we have to clean the kitchen up, how bad it really is."

Suki's face goes red, and she hides her face behind her hands, giggling.

One by one, they all say goodbye as the night goes on, promising to call again soon. Finally, Suki and Sokka get Zuko all to themselves.

Their small living room has been converted into a home theater, complete with a blanket fort and fairy lights. Suki raises on her tiptoes to kiss Zuko's cheek, telling them to get comfortable and pick a movie.

"I think I can handle making the popcorn." She says.

"Are you sure about that?" Sokka laughs, as Suki throws him a glare.

The boys start to go through the movies they had, arguing over comedy or thriller. Suki does her best to ignore the mess in the kitchen, putting the popcorn in the microwave.

As it starts to pop, the boys come in and pull her into a hug.

"Hey!" She says in surprise, "Did you pick a movie?"

"Yup!" Sokka says, "Grown Ups. One and two!"

Zuko groans, "I told you, we aren't watching those again!"

"C'mon, Sokka, it's Zu's birthday! Let him pick."

"I am, I am," Sokka rolls his eyes, letting go of them to put the popcorn in the bowl. "Ow! Hot!"

Zuko laughs in Suki's ear, leaning over her shoulder to look at the messy stove top. He wrinkles up his nose, eyeing the 'food' disdainfully.

"Seriously, Suki, I love you." He says, "I really, really do. But what the fuck did you do to this?"

Sokka bursts into laughter, spilling some of the popcorn onto the floor.

"Stop it," Suki whines, turning to hide her face in Zuko's chest. "I tried!"

"No, seriously, I don't even... I don't even understand!" Zuko laughs, "How is it that bad?"

Suki pinches his side, where he's ticklish.

"H-Hey!"

She narrows her eyes at both of them, playfully. "You guys are mean." She says, "First one to the living room really gets to pick the movie!"

They all take off running, laughing hysterically, Sokka leaving a trail of popcorn behind them as they go.

"Suki, we are not watch Fight Club again! Or Karate Kid! I refuse!"

In the end, they decide to watch Zuko's favorite adaptation of 'Love Amongst the Dragons', and Sokka and Suki suffer through it because they love him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! There's a lot of fics out there of Suki always having her shit together, and always taking care of Sokka and Zuko, and I absolutely love that but I also wanted to show another side to the relationship, and I think it turned out really cute and sweet! As always, let me know what you think in the comments! And if you haven't already, check out my Zokka series I just finished :)


End file.
